All Work and No Play
by Tigergirl
Summary: The stresses of life were getting to him. He needed to learn how to find the balance. All he needed was someone to teach him.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** All Work and No Play

 **Author:** Tigergirl

 **Rated: M**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I don't gain any benefits from writing about them.**

 **Summary:** The stresses of life were getting to him. He needed to learn how to find the balance. All he needed was someone to teach him.

 **CHAPTER ONE**

He was finally free. The school thought he was home sick. His so called "guardian" thought he was at school. His cell phone was turned off. And he was miles and miles away from anyone who knew him.

"Mokuba?"

The young pre-teen froze in his tracks. His eyes darted around until they landed on the smiling blonde who had called his name. Mokuba's eyes lit up.

"Joey?"

The seventeen year old said a quick word to someone at the table he stood behind. Then he slipped out through the people to come stand next to him. He clapped the younger male on the shoulder and pulled him into a small hug. Mokuba squeezed him tight, more than happy to return the hug. When they parted, both had equally big smiles on their faces.

"Joey, what are you doing here?" Mokuba exclaimed.

Joey chuckled before wagging a teasing finger at him.

"Better question: What are _you_ doing here?" Joey asked. "We're not anywhere near Domino and I _know_ you got school."

Mokuba's shoulders sagged. He let out a big, exhausted sigh. Joey squeezed his shoulder.

"You wanna go for a walk?" Joey said.

The pre-teen flashed him a small smile. Joey held up his finger in a wait motion before returning to the table he was at. He spoke with an older woman wearing a golden name badge. She glanced over Joey's shoulder at Mokuba. He gave her a timid wave. She smiled before saying something to Joey.

When Joey returned, his smile was bigger than before.

"We're in luck, kid. They don't need me back for a while. How about we take a walk and get some lunch?"

Mokuba's grin spread from ear to ear.

"Cool!"

It was only a few minutes down the road that Mokuba broke the silence and blurted out, "You disappeared, Joey! Where have you been?"

Joey chuckled. It was true. Last year, he had turned seventeen and he disappeared from school after a birthday weekend with his friends. The only person he talked to was Yugi now.

"I guess we'll start with me, then. I'm sure you remember the piece of my work my dad is." Nod. "Well, my old man threw me out. Thing is he didn't know I've been working part-time jobs since I was fifteen."

Mokuba gasped.

"But Joey, you're not allowed to work when you're in school," Mokuba protested.

Joey shrugged. "I did like your brother and got a special work request in, thanks to the principal."

Mokuba listened in rapt attention. First, Joey only had a part-time job working as a dishwasher in a nice restaurant. Then they moved him to hosting half the time and learning about working the line in the back of the house. The owner, having taken a liking to Joey, gave him an apartment in a good neighborhood after his father threw him out.

"But Joey, if you were making enough money for the rent and food, why not go back and finish school?"

By this time, they were sitting down at an empty picnic table outside the food booths. Joey smiled.

"I did finish school, Mokuba," Joey said.

Mokuba frowned. "Huh?"

Joey chuckled.

"I took the GED test and passed. See, the owner's wife is a college professor. She helped me get ready for the exam," Joey explained.

Mokuba's eyes grew wide. The GED, or General Education Development, was a test used by students in the United States or Canada. He knew Joey had been able to take the test, due to his dual citizenship. Joey went on to explain about working a little bit in each area of the restaurant.

"To what purpose, Joey?" Mokuba asked.

Joey broke out in a huge grin before pulling his jacket aside. Mokuba's eyes shot to the gold badge bearing the title Assistant Manager.

"I just got promoted last week. That was the General Manager I was talking to."

Mokuba's whole face lit up.

"That's awesome, Joey! I'm so happy everything is working out with you."

Joey nodded slowly before quietly indicating it was now Mokuba's turn. The young pre-teen sighed, but silently agreed. It was only fair since Joey had shared.

"I'm skipping school."

"No kidding?!"

Mokuba shot Joey an annoyed look.

"The school thinks I'm home and Seto thinks I'm at school. I found this event online and took cash out of my account. I made Seto think it was for lunch and an after school club dues. I bought a bus ticket and rode out here alone," Mokuba explained.

Joey scrunched his face up.

"Doesn't your security drop you off at school?"

Mokuba grinned.

"I convinced them to drop me off early. They thought I had a club meeting before school. Dropped me off in front of the school right where I knew the cameras wouldn't see us. I walked right off the campus," Mokuba explained.

Joey leaned forward. Mokuba followed suit. Joey raised an eyebrow. Mokuba raised an eyebrow.

"Cell phone?"

"Turned off before I left the campus."

"Backpack locator chip?"

"Made it malfunction. Seto hasn't had it replaced yet."

"Card locket chip?"

"Reprogrammed. Chip says I'm still at school."

Joey leaned back with a low whistle. Mokuba leaned back with a familiar smirk across his face.

"I gotta admit, kid. You covered all the bases. But I gotta ask, why? Why you skipping school?"

Then it was Mokuba's turn to talk. For a few months now, his brother had become a nightmare. He worked even more hours and when he was home, he was always checking Mokuba's work. If it wasn't up to his standards, he would make him do it again. Mokuba saw more of the security and house staff than he did his brother.

Now that he worked full-time and barely got to see his own sibling, Joey wanted desperately to defend Kaiba. Except he knew he had to watch what he said. So instead he said the first thing that came to mind.

"You hungry?"

Mokuba shot him a confused look. Joey shrugged. Mokuba chuckled.

"I'm starving."

Joey winked.

"Then let me introduce you the finest food around."

Joey led him back to his restaurant's booth. He loaded them up some plates of pasta, a small salad, and some breadsticks. They sat down at a table behind the booth. Mokuba was at awe with the workers and how they interacted with Joey. They treated him respectfully, but at the same time acted like he was one of their own. The manager even came over and chatted briefly with him.

If any of them wondered why a minor was there unescorted, they didn't say anything to him or Joey. The food was beyond delicious! Mokuba enjoyed pasta and thought he had a favorite recipe, but this restaurant's meal topped everything now. Joey contemplated how he was going to handle the situation while they ate.

It wasn't until later, while they were walking, that Joey spoke.

"Have you tried talking to your brother?" Joey asked.

Mokuba breathed out a big puff of air.

"Even when Seto's with me, he's on his phone half the time. He thinks because he runs Kaiba Corp that he has to fix _every_ problem. I mean, why hire _anyone_ if you're going to fix the damn problem yourself!"

Mokuba suddenly slapped a hand over his mouth. He jerked his head at Joey. The tall blonde waved it off.

"Sometimes, a little cursing helps get the frustration out," Joey replied.

Mokuba shot him an appreciative smile.

"You know, I kinda get it," Joey commented.

A confused look met him. Joey chuckled.

"It's kinda like being an Assistant Manager. When a server brings out the wrong dish or makes a mistake, I wanna just jump on in and fix it myself. But the thing is I gotta let them at least _try_. Helping is okay, but micromanaging isn't. It's not fair to the people who work with me and it puts too much stress on me," Joey explained.

Mokuba listened in silence. He slowly processed everything Joey was saying.

"Now your brother? You gotta remember all the stuff you guys have gone through with your parents and Gozaburo and the courts. Kaiba had to grow up quick so he could take care of you and make sure _you_ had a childhood. He's so busy taking care of everyone else that sometimes he forgets to take care of himself," Joey added.

"But Joey," Mokuba asked. "How do I get Seto to stop and listen to me?"

Joey stopped and turned to face Mokuba. He flashed him one of his famous goofy grins.

"Well, if he won't listen, you _make_ him listen. Take out that beeper, confiscate that phone, and tell Roland to lock the door. You and your brother clearly need to have a talk and the longer you wait, the worse it's going to be."

Mokuba chuckled, but he knew deep down in his heart that Joey was right. His temper had been flaring more as of late and he had snapped more than once at his brother. Seto didn't get it. Despite him being in middle school and no longer a child, his brother still saw him as such.

"Do you think it would work?" Mokuba asked.

Joey shrugged. "You won't know if you never try."

Joey nearly fell backwards off his feet when Mokuba leaped into him, throwing his arms around him in a tight hug. Joey gladly returned the hug and squeezed just as tight. He felt Mokuba give a full body shake. For a second, Joey thought the young man was going to start crying. However, when they parted, the young man's eyes were clear and his face dry.

"How do you always know the right thing to say, Joey?" Mokuba asked.

"Just lucky, I guess," Joey replied.

Even though he should have put him on a bus, Joey walked around the fair with Mokuba. There were times he went back to work at the booth in which Mokuba joined him there, too. The young raven got to learn about the different jobs at the restaurant and even help the group out when they got busy.

By early afternoon, it was time for Mokuba to leave if he planned to get home before his brother. Joey stopped before he could leave.

"I'll take you home, kid. If you don't mind. I don't want you being on the bus all alone," Joey offered.

Mokuba gladly accepted the offer. He excused him to run off and tell the bus to go on without him. He waited until the bus shifted and turned onto the road to begin crossing the road. So engrossed in his thoughts he didn't hear the squeal of tires. He looked up when he heard the shout of his name.

"Mokuba, watch out!"

He looked up at Joey who was sprinting towards him. His head slowly turned and he froze as his eyes caught sight of a speeding car heading straight for him. The last thing he remembered was a hard shove of his body and his head taking a hard crack before blacking out.

 **END OF CHAPTER ONE**

 **Author's Note: Let's see how this will be received. I got the idea one day and figured I'd give it a try and see the kind of reading and reviews I get for it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Guest:** Thank you! I try to be good at those cliffhanging endings to keep reader interest.

 **CHAPTER TWO**

He was so beside himself. Everything had happened so fast. The general manager sat beside him as they followed the ambulance in her car. After the paramedics confirmed the bump to his head wasn't serious, she had pulled him away so they could load his friend up on the ambulance.

"I…I d-didn't…d-d-didn't s-s-see…th-the c-car," he sobbed, tears streaming down his face.

The manager reached out to squeeze his arm gently.

"It's okay. He'll be okay. Now try taking some deep breaths. Tissues are in the door," the manager explained.

Pulling a few pieces of tissue out, he wiped his face and blew his nose.

"Is there someone you can call?" she asked.

His head bobbed up and down with the car. His hands moved automatically as they went about placing the call. It only took two rings before it was picked up.

" _Hello?_ "

"Y-Yugi?"

" _Mokuba? Mokuba, what's wrong?_ "

Mokuba sniffled. "Yugi, there's been an accident. An ambulance has Joey and I'm going to the hospital with him."

" _Which hospital?_ "

Everything was in a blur up until the point Mokuba and Mrs. Maureen Hashiba were stepping into Joey's room. A groggy Joey turned his head towards them and smiled.

"Hey…boss. Hey…kid," Joey murmured.

"Hello, Joey," Maureen greeted with a soft voice.

Mokuba hung back, afraid to even look at Joey. The young male noticed and waved him over. Even in the low lighting and through his grogginess, Joey could still detect the tears gleaming in the boy's eyes. He reached out with his good arm and pulled the child close. His arm lay loose along the child's lower back.

"Hey, I'm gonna be okay. It's just a few cuts and bruises," Joey told him.

Mokuba's gaze shot to the right then back to Joey's face.

"Your arm is in a brace," Mokuba murmured.

Joey lifted his arm to reveal a blue brace keeping his arm stable. He flexed his fingers before putting it back down.

"Well that…that is one _big_ bruise," Joey commented.

The duo chuckled. Joey spoke softly with the young boy, reassuring him he would be okay and he had had worst. During that time, an officer appeared to speak to Mrs. Maureen and Mokuba. At that same time, Yugi and Yami arrived. They switched out to let the couple sit with Joey who was quickly losing the ability to stay awake.

The officer took their accounts of what had happened.

"I hope you catch the driver," Mrs. Maureen said.

The officer smiled. "We did, Mam. He's actually downstairs getting looked at. He was complaining of whiplash."

Mrs. Maureen's eyebrows slowly rose.

" _He's_ complaining? Excuse me."

Mokuba watched the lady turn and swiftly move down the hallway. Realizing where she was going, the officer thanked Mokuba and followed close after her. Mokuba shook his head while walking back to the room. He met Yami at the doorway. He opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly heard the sharp call of his name.

" _Mokuba._ "

Yami raised an eyebrow as Mokuba's face lost all color. The young man turned to find his big brother walking toward him with his shadow Roland not far behind him. As his brother approached, Mokuba realized how stupid he was.

 **His phone.** He wasn't even thinking when he had turned it on and called Yugi. He glanced up at the wall clock in his peripheral vision. It was long after six. His brother or Roland must have checked his phone when he didn't come home.

Completely ignoring Yami's presence, Seto reached his brother and grasped his arm.

"What are you doing here?" Seto demanded.

Mokuba's eyes glanced sideways at Joey's room before centering back to his brother.

"Joey got hi-," Mokuba started.

Seto's eyes flashed at the mention of the blonde man.

"I don't care about that mangy mutt. _Where have you been?_ You didn't answer my calls and I had to track you by your phone," Seto questioned him.

Yami's gaze narrowed. He didn't like how Kaiba referred to his best friend or how he was speaking to his younger brother. Yugi appeared at the doorway, having overheard Kaiba's words.

"Kaiba, Mokuba. This isn't the place. Shh," Yugi gently urged them.

Kaiba snapped at the shorter youth to mind his own business. With his focus on Yugi, Seto missed seeing the angry flare of life in Mokuba's eyes.

" _Yami, move Yugi from the door_ ," Mokuba hissed.

Hearing the warning tone for what it was, Yami gently grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled him further out into the hallway. Seto was suddenly caught off guard when Mokuba jerked his arm free, snagged Seto's free arm, and tripped him. He went stumbling into the hospital room and barely caught himself with the wall.

Mokuba's head snapped up to Roland who looked mildly startled, too. To Roland's surprise, the young man held up his brother's cell phone and beeper.

"Hold these and keep the door closed. I _need_ to talk with my brother."

Seto blinked to adjust his eyes in the low lighting. His eyes came clear as Mokuba closed the door behind him.

"We need to talk, Seto," Mokuba said, his voice firm and clear.

Seto glanced over his shoulder at the slumbering male. He shook his head.

"This isn't the time or place, Mokuba. We will talk at home," Seto told him.

Mokuba took a heavy step forward.

" _No._ _**Now**_ is the time and place. This _can't_ wait, Seto. The longer we wait, the worse it'll be," Mokuba replied.

Seto's gaze narrowed.

"Why did you skip school and deceive me and your security?" Seto asked.

It had been a long drive. No doubt Seto would have hacked the school computer and checked Mokuba's attendance. At least he wouldn't have to tell Seto about that part.

"Because I'm _sick_ of school. I'm getting A's and maybe a B here and there, but I'm doing _great_ in school. But that's not enough for you. _Seto Kaiba's_ little brother can't be anything less than perfect because then maybe _**he**_ isn't perfect," Mokuba said, his voice growing stronger with each word.

Seto tried to say something, but Mokuba cut him off.

"And you're never home! It shouldn't be called Kaiba Corp. It should just be called Seto. You have all those people working for you, but you have to make sure everything is perfect and it can't be unless _you_ are there to fix things. You're paying people to do their jobs, but you won't let them!"

The steam in Mokuba seemed to ease out as he said everything that had been boiling over in him. His shoulders sagged as he turned away. He took the few steps back to the door. Reaching out foor the doorknob, Mokuba glanced back at Seto. The intensity in his gaze waned as he stared sadly at his brother.

"I thought I lived with my big brother. But all I see is a CEO."

 _Cluck!_ Mokuba pulled the door open and stepped out past Roland. He murmured to the security that he was going downstairs with Yugi and Yami to eat. The man nodded to him as he passed. Roland stepped inside and only then did Seto break his silence.

"You heard everything."

Roland nodded.

"He's wrong," Seto stated firmly.

Roland brought his hand up to take his sunglasses off. He gave Seto a calm, but serious look.

"The eye of the beholder, Sir," Roland commented.

Seto crossed his arms over his chest.

"You think he's right?" he asked, a slight warning tone to his voice.

"I think…that is a subject best for a morning after a good night's rest," Roland explained.

Seto closed his eyes. He hated to agree with the older man, but Mokuba had never lashed out like that before. He doubted they would even last the car ride home. He opened his eyes and half-turned to take a closer look at the sleeping patient. With more lighting from the open doorway, Seto had a better look at the male's injuries.

"I spoke with Mr. Motou. Mr. Wheeler will be permitted to leave in the morning. The hospital have permitted them to stay the night with him. They will make sure he gets home safely tomorrow," Roland explained.

Seto knew despite his dislike of Wheeler that Mokuba would be deeply concerned about him getting home.

"Get Wheeler's address from Yugi. He can stay the night and go home with Wheeler. Bring his bag to him tomorrow so he gets his homework done," Seto commanded.

"Already done, Sir."

Seto smirked. His Head of Security knew him well. He decided before they left to get a cup of a coffee and a little something to eat himself. When he wandered down to the cafeteria, Mokuba, Yugi, and Yami had already disappeared off to who knows where. Roland left him there to locate Mokuba and inform him of his brother's decision.

From his table against the wall, Seto was taking a sip of his coffee when he overheard two nurses at the next table.

"Did you hear about the young man in 402?" the first nurse asked.

"I did! He's very lucky, you know? If that car had managed to hit him full on or if it had been going any faster, he might have wound up in the ICU," the second nurse said.

"I know. Such a noble thing to do, too. Pushing that young man out of the way? The child was in hysterics until a doctor assured him his friend was okay. I don't think Dr. Mouri has ever been hugged that tight before."

Seto slowly set his coffee down. 402 was Wheeler's room. He brought a hand up to cover over his eyes. The young man he had saved…had pushed out of the way of a speeding care…was his little brother.

 _Why did that…_ _ **Why**_ _did Wheeler have to go and do that_ , Seto thought.

It was a selfish thought. Seto knew that. He knew Wheeler treated his friends like family, but he never thought of Mokuba as being one of those people in Wheeler's life. Especially when he didn't get along well with the older brother.

"Did you hear they caught the driver?"

Seto raised an eyebrow and raised his cup to drink. He would make sure his lawyer looked into the matter to ensure maximum punishment for the man that almost hit Mokuba.

"No, I didn't. _Good_. I hope he rots in jail."

"It's worse. Police found the idiot and he complained of whiplash so they brought him here. The victim's manager came storming down and ripped into him. By the time she was done with him, the guy was sobbing his eyes out in the corner."

Seto smirked. Served him right. The nurses left, leaving Seto alone with his thoughts. He absentmindedly chewed on what little food he had bought. His brother had given him much to think about.

 **END OF CHAPTER TWO**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Joey was exhausted, but stayed awake for the drive home. Yugi and Yami dropped him and Mokuba off at the front step to the apartment complex. Joey made a promise to call Yugi later. Mokuba watched quietly as Joey stepped up to the call box by the front glass doors. He typed in a series of numbers.

The door buzzed. Joey reached out and pulled the door open. He led Mokuba inside past a front desk and mailboxes to the elevator. They rode up to the fourth floor, walked down a long hall, and stopped in front of a door marked 414.

Mokuba waited patiently as Joey fumbled with his keys. The blonde grew frustrated when the keys dropped. With a small smile, Mokuba bent down and scooped them up. He picked the right key and stuck it in the lock. Joey shot him a grateful smile.

"Thanks, kid. Guess I'm still a bit out of it," Joey apologized.

Mokuba grinned. "That's okay, Joey."

When they entered the apartment, Mokuba wasn't sure what to expect. Because of the front gates and security door, he expected a nice apartment. However, the actual apartment was beyond what he had imagined.

The entrance was a short hallway with a short table. A keybowl sat on it where Joey dropped his keys and wallet. The hallway led out into a spacious and well furnished living room. Off to the left was a medium sized kitchen with new appliances. To the right of the living room was a window overlooking the courtyard and a desk with a closed laptop sitting on it.

Down a separate hallway from the living room and dining room space was a spare bedroom, master bedroom, and a spare bathroom. There was a decent sized master bathroom from within the master bedroom. Overall, it was a great place and Mokuba loved it.

Joey sat back on the couch while Mokuba checked out the game system he had.

"Is it all right if I play your system until Roland brings my school work?" Mokuba asked.

Joey nodded sleepily.

"If you don't mind me going back to sleep. Those meds kinda make me sleepy. I promise I'll spend time with ya after I rest," Joey replied, rubbing at his eyes.

With a small chuckle, Mokuba nodded. Popping a game in, the young man made sure to turn the volume down before getting comfortable in a chair. Joey stretched out on the couch, pulled the blanket off the back, and drifted off to sleep. Mokuba shot Joey a secret, appreciative smile before starting the game.

Mokuba loved the game. Joey had an old system so he had games that were older than Mokuba. Maybe even older than his brother. He played for about an hour, beating level after level, until there was a small knock on the door.

He paused the game and stood up to pad quietly over to the door. Mokuba went up a little on his toes to look through the peephole. He smiled when he plopped back down on his feet. He unlatched the keychain and turned the lock before opening the door. Roland stood there with the young boy's backpack in hand.

Mokuba didn't even ask how the security head had come through and up without Joey buzzing him in. He wasn't the head of security for nothing.

"Thank you, Roland," Mokuba said, taking the backpack from him.

Roland nodded his head before reaching to the side for a separate bag. Mokuba frowned.

"I'm only staying the day," Mokuba said.

He jumped when Joey's voice came from behind him. The blonde looked much more awake now he had some rest.

"Roland called this mornin' when you and Yug' were gettin' breakfast. He suggested that maybe you and yer brother could use a break from each other. You're staying the weekend and I'm taking you to school on Monday." Pause. "If that's okay with you."

Mokuba turned his head back to Roland.

"Is Seto okay with this?"

Roland nodded. He didn't think it relevant to inform either male that it had been Seto's suggestion of the weekend stay. After bidding goodbye to the security, Joey and Mokuba settled back inside. While Mokuba worked on his homework at the dinner table, Joey worked on making lunch.

Mokuba struggled a little with his math, but he tried his best. When Joey brought lunch over, Mokuba showed it to him. Joey smiled while glancing over it.

"You got everything right here. You just flipped the formulas. See right there?" Joey pointed out.

Mokuba looked at where Joey was pointing and suddenly lit up.

"You're right, Joey! Thanks!"

He made the correction and pushed his homework aside for lunch. They munched and chatted about things. After lunch, Mokuba finished his homework while Joey did some cleaning around the apartment. The phone rang right as Mokuba was finishing his last sentence.

"Hello, this is Joey. Oh, hello, boss. Yea, I'm doing okay. Yea, Mokuba's doing better, too. Thanks for taking care of him. What was that?" Pause. "Boss, are you sure? I mean I can…Oh, okay. Yea, yea. A week. Yes, I hear you. _A week._ "

Mokuba looked up curiously as Joey hung up the phone.

"A week of what?" he asked.

Joey sighed.

"A week off of work. Her and the owner wanna make sure I heal up okay before I come back," Joey replied.

Mokuba let out a low whistle. He knew the manager liked and respected Joey a lot. If the owner was anything like her, then Joey was very lucky. With Mokuba's homework done, the two spent the rest of their afternoon in style.

They played video games and ordered out for dinner. Once dinner arrived, they had a movie marathon. It was late into the evening when the two finally stumbled off to their beds.

The next morning, barely after dawn, they went for a jog. Joey took Mokuba through a nearby park and circled around past the restaurant on their way back to the apartment. They took showers in the bathrooms and ate a hearty breakfast Joey whipped up.

Then while Joey was doing a little work on his computer, Mokuba watched television. When he was done, he came over and plopped down on the couch beside the young brunette. They sat together in silence before Joey finally spoke up.

"You want to talk about it?"

Mokuba sighed. He lifted the remote up and muted the show. Tucking a leg under him, Mokuba turned so he was facing Joey.

"I told Seto they should call the company Seto instead of Kaiba Corp."

Joey nodded.

"I told him I'm sick of school and if I'm not perfect, then maybe he isn't, either."

Joey nodded again.

"I told him I lived with a CEO and not a big brother."

Joey nodded. "Yea. I know."

Mokuba's head drooped.

"Yugi told you?" he asked, quietly.

Joey shook his head.

"Nah. I'm a light sleeper. Even with heavy doses of medication. When you've lived the kind of life I have with the kinda father I have…"

Mokuba nodded sadly.

"I didn't mean for it to all come out like that. I mean…I mean I _meant_ everything I said." Sigh. "Just wish I could have said it better."

"Ya feel like ya maybe hurt your brother's feelings?" Joey asked.

Mokuba sniffled and wiped at his nose with the back of his sleeve before nodding. Joey reached over behind him to the Kleenex box on the end table. He handed it to Mokuba who gladly used it and then held it in his lap.

"Maybe when you next see him…maybe try sitting with a snack and talk it out. Think about the things your brother does that you like and don't like. Think about things you can accept and you can't. See if your brother's not too busy to set aside a time for you two to just be brothers again," Joey suggested.

A small smile flickered at the edges of Mokuba's mouth.

"I think I'd like that, Joey. How'd you get so smart?" Mokuba asked.

Joey chuckled.

"I like to think my life experience has helped me to grow," Joey answered.

Mokuba lifted his head.

"Joey?"

"Yea?"

"You never told me what happened to your dad after he kicked you out," the small boy hinted.

This time, it was Joey's turn to sigh.

"Well…when I say he tossed me out, I mean it literally. He jammed my arm behind my back so hard it left some bad bruising on it. And he tossed me down the front steps. I went straight to the hospital and they documented all my injuries. After I got off the phone with my boss, I went straight to the police and filed charges against my old man."

Mokuba listened as Joey told him the details of his father, for once in his miserable life, owning up for what he had done. He had plead guilty, the case had been kept quiet since Joey was only 17, and Wheeler Senior was put away for a long time.

"Why did he plead guilty?" Mokuba asked.

"Well, the way I see it, he figured he would wind up with more time if he tried to go with a not guilty. Smartest decision he ever made in his life, I guess," Joey answered.

They sat in silence. Mokuba was processing a lot. Joey's birthday had been in January and his father had tossed him out shortly after that. It was early October now. That meant Joey had been on his own for eight months.

Mokuba spoke quietly again.

"Are you okay, Joey?"

The blonde's shoulders lifted up and down in a slow motion.

"Some days are better than others. Sometimes…my umm injuries flare up. Sometimes, I have to get up in the middle of the night and check all the locks and make sure the apartment is safe."

Mokuba bit his bottom lip. Slowly, he reached out to gently touch the top of Joey's hand.

"Do you ever talk to anyone about this?" Mokuba asked.

"I…umm…I've only told Yugi the need to know stuff, but he's known for a while about the bruises and stuff. I've also see a…umm…psychiatrist a few times. He's on call if I need him. I think I'll try and see if he has an opening this week since I have the week off," Joey said.

Mokuba could tell Joey was growing uncomfortable with the conversation. He knew it was because Joey was probably not used to talking about himself or his living situation.

"How's Serenity?"

Joey's face broke out in a laughing grin.

"She's great. She was just here a few weeks ago for a visit. Mom's a lot more understanding about letting her visit. She might be coming to stay with me during Christmas."

"That's awesome, Joey."

 **END OF CHAPTER THREE**


	4. Chapter 4

**talyak:** Thanks! Here's your early update! Hope you like it!

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

Monday morning came all too soon. Joey dropped Mokuba off at school with a relaxed feeling about him and his brother and a well balanced lunch. Little did Joey know, as he drove back to the apartment, that he was the subject of talk over at Domino High.

"Wheeler never cared about school before. Why would that loudmouth care to come back and finish?" a girl gossiped.

"He probably sits home all day playing games and pigging out," a guy guessed, elbowing his buddy.

"I'm glad he's gone. He's a good for nothing, just like Kaiba says," Tristan said.

 _ **SLAM!**_

Everyone jumped in their seats. All eyes fell back to Yugi who had stood up swiftly and slammed his hands hard on his desk. The once front row student had moved to Joey's back of the room seat. He had been listening to these comments off and on since Joey's disappearance. This time, the class went too far.

This time, _Tristan_ went too far.

"What do you all know about Joey? **Nothing**! I have a news flash for you, you bunch of assholes!"

Eyes grew wide and mouths were either hanging or clicking shut. No one had ever even heard Yugi mumble a foul word. The boy had completely snapped. Unknown to the class or Yugi, the teacher had appeared in the doorway with Seto.

"None of you noticed that half the bruises on Joey came from home and _not_ fights. His father knocks him around at home then he comes here where everyone thinks he's just a dumb blonde and a loudmouth. Well, he's not! He's had to fight for survival, unlike most of us with families that actually give a damn about us!"

Some of the girls were beginning to tear up. More than one guy was looking away. Yugi wouldn't let them, though. He stormed up to front of the room with a look to kill on his face.

"And then he turns seventeen and his good for nothing father throws him out on the street. Guess what, idiots! He _did_ finish school, he's got a _great_ job, and he's taking _college_ classes. So get off your high horses and shut your mouths!"

Yugi let out a huge, irritated woof of air before whipping around and snatching the bathroom pass up. He blew by the teacher and Kaiba with a murmured, "I'm going for a walk."

He didn't come back until the bell rang. One brave soul tried to talk to him, but Yugi leveled a glare so heated, the poor guy turned tail and ran.

Seto nodded his head to him as he passed him to go to the second class. He sat down in class and pulled out his notebook yet took no notes. For the first time, he couldn't focus in class and it wasn't because of anything work-related.

" _None of you noticed that half the bruises on Joey came from home and_ _ **not**_ _fights."_

Seto prided himself on being aware of everything going on around him. However, as he called on his memories with Wheeler, he realized why he wouldn't have picked up on anything. Wheeler was always covered. He always wore a jacket and jeans. If what Yugi said was true about Wheeler's father, then the senior would have aimed for bruising where others couldn't see.

Thankfully, the teacher picked up on something was off and left Seto alone to his thoughts. This was how most of the day passed. Seto tried to focus on school or work, but his mind repeatedly went back to Wheeler.

That last fight of theirs before the Christmas break. Wheeler had moved slower than usual and after they had been forcefully separated by teachers…the blonde had a slight limp in his left leg. A limp he _didn't_ cause.

Seto rubbed at his forehead. None of this made sense. And that frustrated him more than anything else.

After the school day finally came to an end, Seto drove home. He found Mokuba at the kitchen table working on his home. He set his briefcase down by the doorway and walked over to the fridge to pull a drink out. The tall brunette walked over to the table and sat down across from his brother. Mokuba looked up and flashed his brother a small smile.

"Hi, Seto," Mokuba greeted.

Seto smiled. "Hello, Mokuba. Did you have a nice weekend with Wheeler?"

Mokuba grinned.

"We had a blast. Joey let me play some of his old video games and we even went for a jog together."

"How was school?"

"It was good. We had a substitute teacher in Math."

Seto nodded.

"That's nice. Do you mind if we talk?" Seto asked.

Mokuba nodded. He closed his book and pushed it off to the side.

"I know why you skipped school and I thought about what you said, but I have to know. Why did you run away to spend time with Wheeler?" Seto asked.

Mokuba sighed. "I didn't. I picked a place I didn't think anyone would recognize me. I just sort of ran into Joey there."

Seto nodded. There was another more pressing question he had. He hoped Mokuba might know something and at the same time, nothing.

"Yugi said some things in class today about Wheeler. I would like to know if you know anything about it," Seto said.

"What kind of things did he say?" Mokuba asked.

"Like maybe Wheeler's had a harder time at home than he led his classmates to believe," Seto hinted.

"Oh, big brother!"

Mokuba opened his mouth and spilled out everything. He told his brother about finding out about the abuse, the aftermath Joey recently shared, and even helping Joey once rebandage a particularly bad wound.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my secret to tell."

As much as Seto wanted to argue about that, he couldn't find fault with his little brother's words. Clearly, he had misjudged not only his own brother, but his rival as well.

"As I mentioned, I thought about what you said. You're right."

"Huh?"

Mokuba looked genuinely surprised. Seto let out a deep sigh.

"I do try to make everything perfect. I have a difficult time letting go. I can be a perfectionist at times…and I'm going to work on that. I'm going to work on stepping back more often and I'm going to start by working less," Seto explained.

Mokuba sat back in astonishment as Seto laid out his plans.

No more weekends would be spent at work. When he was home, any calls of the business went to his board of supervisors he had personally hired last year. Any emergency calls would be put in to Roland who would determine if the emergency warranted Seto's attention. On Monday's, starting next week, Seto would leave work at an early hour that would allow him to have dinner with his brother. As for Mokuba's homework, Seto would only look at if his grades started slipping or if he asked his big brother to look at it.

"What would you say about us making Monday's our movie night again?" Seto asked, smirking.

Mokuba lit up.

"I'd love it! Can we start movie night tonight instead of next week?"

Seto agreed, so long as Mokuba's homework was done for the night. Mokuba leapt from his seat, rounded the table, and threw his arms around his brother. Seto gave just as good as he got. It brought a tear to his eye that he couldn't remember the last time he had hugged his brother.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Joey was having a conversation of his own.

"Thanks for agreeing to see me so soon, Doc," Joey said.

A short man sat leaned back in his chair. Joey walked over to sit on a chair across from him. There was a tape recorder recording on the coffee table between them.

"It's no problem at all, Joey. I had planned out a nice dinner with my wife, but she was called into emergency surgery," he explained.

Joey smiled softly. "Sorry to hear that, Dr. Nakamura."

Dr. Nakamura returned the smile.

"It's okay. These things happen, sometimes. Enough about me, though. What's new with you, Joey?" he asked, hinting at the small marks on his face.

Joey brought him up to speed with recent events. He had an open notebook sitting in his lap. Occasionally, he would jot a small note down.

"It's nice that you've helped the young boy. How did you feel about sharing more information about the abuse to him?" he questioned.

Joey's shoulders slowly lifted up and down with his big sigh.

"I guess so. I mean the kid is always been more grown up than most. He understands a lot and he offers me…a little comfort, I guess," Joey said.

Dr. Nakamura slowly nodded.

"Comfort, because he's sympathetic?"

Joey nodded.

"Would this be the same little brother of the ill-tempered dragon?"

Joey cracked a big grin as he nodded. Dr. Nakamura made an hmm sound as he wrote a short note.

"Tell me about the current relationships in your life," Dr. Nakamura said.

Joey leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"There's Yugi and Yami. My best friends. They know more about my life than others. There's the people at the restaurant. They've become quite the family to me. They treat me with respect, honesty, and trust me. Umm…there's Mokuba. We can relate to each other and enjoy our conversations."

Joey breathed in deep then released it slowly.

"My sister Serenity visits sometimes. We've always gotten along. She tells me everything." Chuckle. "Even more than I want to hear."

Dr. Nakamura let out a small chuckle. "What of your mother? How has your relationship with her changed since your father's arrest?"

"It…I guess it's gotten better. I mean she's more willing to let 'Ren visit me now. We haven't really talked much since she found out. I don't…really know how to take that," Joey answered.

Dr. Nakamura scribbled down some more notes.

"What of your school friends? The others?"

Joey popped his eyes opened and leaned forward to rest his arms across his knees. He interlocked his fingers down in front of him.

"They aren't a part of my life no more. Duke, we were never friends. We barely tolerated each other. Teá, pfft. Thinks she knows everything and decided I'm "toxic to her climb to future stardom.""

Dr. Nakamura frowned. He made a small, deep throated hmm.

"Ryou, he's just closer with Yugi. I mean we still get along and all. We just don't hang out. Tristan…Tristan got mad at me for "just disappearing" and not coming back to school. He thought I'd gone back to the streets and voluntarily left my father's "loving care." They were about my only friends."

Dr. Nakamura leaned forward.

"What about the ill-tempered dragon?"

Joey snorted. Dr. Nakamura urged him to share.

"Positive or negative, it's still a relationship in your life," he hinted.

Joey shook his head.

"Me and Dragon never got along. I'd get on his nerves, he'd get on mine. I spent most of my time in detentions because of fights with him. I was happy to leave school and not have to deal with him anymore. But…"

Dr. Nakamura leaned forward to hear the quiet whisper.

" _But I still manage to miss him._ "

Dr. Nakamura smiled with understanding.

"He was a regular part of your life and treated you like you were just another student. He made you feel normal while your living situation made you feel isolated, an outsider. It's almost as if you held on for as long as you could because you looked forward to your time with him."

Joey's eyes fell shut. Who would have thought he would be missing Seto Kaiba?

 **END OF CHAPTER FOUR**


	5. Chapter 5

**talyak:** Yes, his ill tempered dragon.

 **Author's Note: I know this seems to be taking off slowly and I'm trying to get there, but in a smooth transition kind of way.**

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

It was a miserable week for him.

The boss and manager conspired against him to give him the week off. A _paid_ week off.

Yugi told him he had flown off the handle in school and now everyone knew his father had been abusive.

And then Dr. Nakamura had brought up old feelings of loneliness and…

Actually missing his former rival.

Joey sighed. It had been an extraordinarily miserable week. His head thumped back against a pillow. He was stretched out on his couch. The television was playing in the background, but really all it was was noise to keep the quiet out.

Joey had been working on stuff for work through his computer. However, that was before the manager picked up on it and changed his password. That had been especially cruel of her.

It was only Wednesday and he was bored out of his mind. His body was still a bit sore so the gym was a no-go. (Plus he had a follow-up with his personal doctor on Friday.) He had watched movies, played his video games, and even did some reading.

Hearing his phone buzzing across the coffee table, Joey reached out and slid his phone over to the edge. He scooped it up and brought it up to his face. He smiled when he saw it was a text from Mokuba.

 **Mokuba**

[Hi, Joey!]

Joey glanced at the time at the top of his screen. Hmm. When did it get to be after five? Joey rolled himself up to his feet and wandered into the kitchen as he texted a reply.

 **Joey**

[Hey! Don't you got a test tomorrow?]

He set his phone down on the counter. Joey opened the fridge and glanced around. He didn't know what he wanted for dinner. _Buzzzz._ Without looking, Joey reached out and snatched his phone up.

 **Mokuba**

[ :P It was today. I did great!]

Joey texted a quick reply and set it down again. He closed the fridge doors and slid the freezer door open. He pulled out a microwaveable dinner. He took it out, cut a slit in the plastic, and slid it into the microwave. After a few minutes, it beeped. Joey carefully pulled it out, peeled back the plastic, and stirred the contents with a fork.

He was putting it back in the microwave when his phone went off again.

 **Joey**

[That's awesome! Good for you.]

 **Mokuba**

[Me & BB are going out to eat. Do you want to come with us?]

Joey groaned as his eyes flicked to the microwave. It figures he would get a dinner invitation while he fixed himself dinner.

" _Damn it._ "

He typed a quick reply and pressed send.

 **Joey**

[Sorry, kid. I'm just about to eat dinner. Maybe another time?]

The next text Mokuba must have been in the middle of typing. Sometimes, the kid made him feel like he could read his mind.

 **Mokuba**

[But Joey! I really want you to come. Seto promised not to bother you. We're already outside.]

"Huh?"

Joey crossed the apartment over to his windows. Sure enough, when he looked out over the courtyard, he saw a familiar white SUV.

"I'll be damned," Joey murmured.

Sighing again, Joey went over and took the dinner out. He gave it a minute to cool before placing it in a big plastic bag and into the fridge. He hated to waste food which is why he opted not to toss it out. Joey texted that he would be right down.

Joey grabbed a jacket, his wallet, and keys on the way out. When he came downstairs, Joey found Roland at the helm with Seto up front quietly taking a call. Mokuba was sitting in back waiting for him.

"Jump in, Joey. We're going to our favorite place to eat," Mokuba told him.

Joey closed the door and buckled himself in before Roland pulled out. Joey nodded to the front.

"What's that about?" he asked quietly.

Mokuba smiled. "One of our receptionists who's pregnant started having contractions. She refused to leave until Seto stepped out of class and called. They made a deal before she agreed to leave."

Joey's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

"What was the deal?" he questioned.

"Seto wouldn't leave school and go fill in for her if she left straight for the hospital. She just called to give Seto an update," Mokuba explained.

Right about that time, Seto was finishing up his call and hanging up. Joey caught the bright glare of a phone from the windshield before Kaiba turned his phone off. Seto turned in his seat to partially face them. He nodded his head to Joey who quietly returned it. Then he turned his gaze to Mokuba.

"She had a baby girl at 4:25. She's been deemed healthy," Seto explained.

"How big?" Mokuba asked.

"Five pounds, four ounces," Seto answered.

It didn't take them long to reach their destination. The Kaiba brothers' favorite place turned out to be a little French restaurant. It was a difficult place to locate. Joey had driven by the area many a time with not a clue it was even there. Thankfully, only parts of the menu were written in French. What little Joey couldn't understand, Mokuba translated.

Throughout dinner, most of the talking was done by Mokuba. Any chatter from Seto or Joey was a short comment or an answer to a Mokuba question. At one point, Mokuba left the table to use the bathroom. There was an awkward silence between the two older males until Joey piped up.

"Hey Kaiba?"

"Hmm."

Pause. "You're looking good."

Hours later, after Joey was returned home and Mokuba was fast asleep, Seto was still thinking about Joey's words.

" _You're looking good._ "

What did he mean by that, Seto thought.

The blonde's words baffled him. He was also reminded that he had forgotten to speak to Wheeler about thanking him. He had meant to thank him for handling the situation of Mokuba skipping and for protecting him from the speeding car.

A little over a week later, he had his chance. Mokuba was staying the night for an overnight weekend field trip. Seto had called ahead to check Wheeler was working at his place of employment that night. When it was confirmed, he made a reservation for one under the name Blue. He made the reservation later in the evening so when he arrived the dinner rush had passed.

The hostess greeted him with a warm smile and set him at a nice table. Most restaurants, after realizing he was visiting, would set him up in a table at the center of attention.

The restaurant was lit well, warm and inviting to the eye. The booths had high backs which allowed for privacy between the different parties of guests. He ordered a water and the special of the day. As he waited for his meal, his phone remained in his pocket. Instead, he people watched.

The staff worked very well together. They helped each other out with bringing dishes and drinks out. He even witnessed the manager assisting her staff. After his meal arrived, he made mention to his server that he would like to talk to her Assistant Manager. She shot him a confused look.

"Is there anything wrong, Sir?" she asked.

Seto shook his head.

"Not at all. I wanted to speak to him about an incident from a few weeks ago," he replied.

The young woman's face scrunched up before brightening up.

"Oh! You must be Mokuba's brother. How is he doing?" she asked with a small smile.

Seto returned the smile.

"He is well. Thank you for asking."

She nodded.

"I'd be happy to get our Assistant Manager for you."

Seto was finishing up his dinner when Joey arrived at the table. The blonde was dressed nicely in a button down shirt that was tucked in but the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. He wore jeans, but dressy jeans. He looked in his element as he approached the table.

"I apologize for making you wait," Joey said, bowing his head.

Seto smirked. "Have a seat."

On the outside, Joey appeared confident as he pulled a chair out and sat across from his once rival. On the inside, his nerves were shot. He had suspected the reservation under Blue had been Kaiba, hence why he had scheduled him to be seated at an out of the way table. However, he still hadn't been prepared for him actually being there.

"I hope your meal was satisfactory," Joey said, still maintaining his professionalism.

Seto waved it aside.

"The meal was good. Please extend my compliments to the chef. Now, you can drop the managerial behavior. I came to speak to a classmate," Seto said.

Joey sighed as he slumped slightly in his chair. He pulled the cup of water he had brought with him close and took a sip.

"I'm not a student any more, Kaiba. But I suppose if that's what you want to call me, I've heard worse," Joey said.

Seto put his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers in front of him.

"From your father, I'm sure," Seto murmured.

Something flashed in Joey's, but unlike previous times, he held his tongue. Instead he took in and released a deep breath.

"You're right. My old man's just about called me every name in the book. But I don't think you came all the way down here to talk about him," Joey commented.

Seto shook his head.

"I did not. You intrigue me, Wheeler. Somehow, all these years, you haven't been showing your full hand. Your little friend…was enlightening."

Joey had to ponder over Kaiba's words. He had to mull over his words before commenting.

"Ya never suspected anything, huh?" Smile. "Guess I was better at hiding things than I thought."

Seto nodded.

"You were. School has always been a bore, but is has become more so in your absence. It seems you were the only one who could keep my interest."

Joey chuckled with the shake of his head.

"Almost sounds like you're asking me out."

"I am."

Silence reigned over the table. Joey tried processing what Kaiba had just admitted while Seto wondered if Wheeler thought he was pulling a trick. He waited a decent amount of time before prompting the younger male.

"The decision is yours, Wheeler. You don't _have_ to say yes," Seto told him.

Joey wasn't sure why, but he found himself agreeing to a date. By Seto's expression, it looked as though he hadn't been expecting a positive answer.

"I work the lunch shift tomorrow, but I can be ready around 6:00."

Seto nodded. "I'll pick you up then."

Joey nodded his head, thanked him for visiting, and left. As he disappeared into the back, both males had the same thought.

Did I really just agree to a date with my old school rival? This should be interesting.

 **END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

 **A/N: Feedback in the form of reviews is greatly appreciated.**


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